Groundwater and Drinking Water Protection

Groundwater funding from Minnesota's Clean Water Fund is being used for activities that help identify potential sources of nitrate-nitrogen contamination and evaluate and implement practices at the local level to reduce nitrate-nitrogen in groundwater. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is working with many local partners and passing funding through to local government units.

Central Sands Private Drinking Water Well Monitoring Network
The Central Sands monitoring network is characterizing nitrate-nitrogen levels in private drinking water wells. This network will provide a better understanding of nitrate-nitrogen trends in the region and be used to educate private well owners about the quality of their drinking water.

Township Testing Program
The MDA has designed this program to determine current nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in private wells. The MDA plans to offer free nitrate testing to 70,000 private well owners, within approximately 250 townships, between 2014 and 2021. This work will be done in close partnership with local government units across the state.

Nutrient Management Surveys
The MDA partners with the USDA National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) and University of Minnesota researchers to collect information about fertilizer use and farm management on a regional and statewide scale.

Irrigation Water Quality Protection
This funding supports an irrigation water quality specialist who will develop guidance and provide education on irrigation and nitrogen Best Management Practices (BMPs).This position is located at the University of Minnesota Extension.